Liffeyside

Tuesday, February 24, 2004

Rule 42 and the reasons why the GAA should allow Rugby Union Football and Association Football to be played in Croke Park

1. In the 1980’s the GAA All-Stars toured England and played in Watford, Brentford and Luton Town Football Clubs’ ground.

2. Last year Ireland played Australia in the Compromise Rules Series. One of the pitches they played on was the MCC Ground. MCC stands for Melbourne Cricket Club.

3. Further to the above. In a previous Compromise Rules Series matches between Ireland and Australia took place in the WACA Bowl. WACA is an acronym for the Western Australian Cricket Association.

4. The thinking that Rugby Union and Association football would poach GAA players. Setanta O’Halpin went to Carlton Australian Rules Football Club, not Manchester United, Real Madrid, Juventus, Munster, Saracens or Toulouse. Where’s the real threat to the GAA coming from?

5. The Westmeath Gaelic Football team travelled to Sunderland Football Club and used the training facilities there.

6. In November 2003 the Inter Provincial hurling final between Leinster and Munster took place in the Giulio Onesti Sports Complex in Rome. The GAA availed of the goodwill of the stadiums authorities. Ironically not one sport which makes regular use of the Sports Complex can be played in Croke Park.

7. The GAA received €60 million of taxpayers money to renovate Croke Park. Association Football players and Rugby Union players pay tax. In the opinion of many once the GAA used tax payers money to renovate Croke Park it became a national stadium.